Card index



Patented July 8, 1924.

- UNITED STATES JAMES H. RAND, OF NORTH TONAWANDA, NEW YORK.

CARD INDEX.

Application filed J'une 11, 1921.. Serial No. 476,733.

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, JAMES H. RAND, citizen of the United States of America, and resident of North Tonawanda, inthe county of Niagara and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Card Indexes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to card indexes of the so-called visible index type wherein a series of overlapping cards are supported 'in a frame in spaced relation with their margins exposed, and consists in the novel features of construction and operation hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which il lustrafe certain embodiments of the invention, A

Figure 1 is a front view, partly brolien away, showing part of an index containing the invention; v

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a cross section of the frame on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Figure 4 is a similar cross section illus'- traxting a modification of the frame.

Referring to Figs. 1I to 3, the frame,

' which is preferably ma e of sheet metal, comprises a flat back 5, the side margins of which are bent or folded forwardly and then inwardly as shown and terminate; in the inwardly extending flanges 6, formin 'with the frame back 5 a pair ofv opp channels. 7, 7 extending lengthwise of the frame.

Alongside of each channel 7 and parallel thereto, a second inwardly facing channel o 8 is formed in front of channel 7 by a second inwardly extending flange 9 parallel to and spaced from flange 6. In the preferred construction. the flange 9 is the front flange of a strip of angle or channel metal, whose rear flange 10 is welded, soldered, or otherwise secured to the rear side of the frame back 5, with the connecting web 11 lying close against? the side edge of the frame.

The outei` flange 9 is preferably narrower than the inner flange 6 for the reason hereinafter ex Iained. v

Mounte in the frame in overlapped, spaced relation, are a series of cards 12, each having a pair of laterally projecting sorted in the inner channe members 13, 13 adjacent its lower edge, and a pair of laterally projectin members 14, 14 adjacent its upper edge. e width of the body of the `card should not exceed the distanceI between the opposed ianges 6, 6, as the body of the card rlies between the flanges 6 in a plane intersect-ing the plane of the lianges 6. -As herein shown the projections 13 are the endsof strips13, made of cardboard or the like cemented to the rear side of the lower margin of the card, and the projections 14 are integral ears or tabs cut from the saine sheet as the card. The strips 13u constitute spacing means by which, the overlapped cards are held in spaced relation with their opposite margins projecting one beyond another to display indexing inscriptions. 'It will be understood however that the particular form of lateral projections at the upper and' lower edges, and the particular form of spacing means are not important, and that any well known or preferred form of projections and spacing means may be employed.

One pair -of lateral projections, preferably the lower "pair extend into the inner pair of opposed channels 7, 7, o f the frame, and the other pair 14, 14 extend into the outer pair of opposed channels 8, 8. When thus mounted, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the cards will slide lengthwise in the frame, their -top ledges being guided by the front channels 8 and their bottom edges being guided by the rear channels 7 The frame should not be quite filled with cards, but'an empty space should be left in assembling the parts, preferably at the top end of the frame, abou-t equal to the vertical length of a card, so that to inspect or make entries on any card, that card (and all cardsl above it) may be slid vertically in the frame until, its face is exposed. The assembling of the cards in the frame is facilitated by having the outer flange 9 narrower than the dividing wall 6 between the two channels, since in practice the' lower projections 13 may first be inls 7, 7 by bending or springin the card to contract itslower edge in wi th, after which the upper edge is similarly bent or sprung to a less degree and only suiciently to insert the upper pro jections 14, 14 in the front channels 8, 8 but not far enough to permit them te enter the 13, 13 of each card,y

, edges of the cards instead of the upper edges. In either event the operation of the device would be'essentially the same, but I prefer the arrangement shown both on the score of convenience and appearance.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated one of a number of alternative structures which might be used for producing a frame with the two parallel inwardly facing channels at each side of the frame. In this form the entire frame structure is made of an integral piece of sheet metal. Each side margin of the fra-me back 5 is bent forwardly and then inwardly toform the inner channel 7, thence is bent back upon itself forming a two-ply dividing' flange 6", and thence is bent again forwardly and inwardly to form the front channel 8, the front flange 9, as before, bein narrower than the rear or dividing flange 6 etween the two channels.

An index constructed as above described will hold the cards flatwis'e in the frame, as contrasted with indexes of the overlapping card type having hinged or swinging cards free at one edge, thusrendering the device more flat and compact, and diminishing'the danger of breaking or mutilating the cards, while at the same time ermitting the cards to be freely manipulate for inspecting them or making entries on-them by sliding them lengthwise in the frame.

I claim:

1. An' index comprising a frame having two parallel inwardly facing channels at each side,.one channel of each pair being dis posed in front of the other, and a series of cards mounted in the frame in overlapped spaced relation, each card having a pair of laterally projecting members adjacent its lower edge extending into one pair of opposed channels, and a pair of laterally projecting members adjacent its upper edge exterliding into the other pair of opposed channe s.

2. An index comprising a frame having two parallel inwardly facing channels at each side, one channel of each pair being disposed in front of the other, and a series of cards mounted in the frame in overlapped spaced relation, each card havin a pa1r of 1laterally projecting members a jacent its lower ed e extendi into the inner air of opposed c annels, and a pair of latera y proranged at one side of said back an jecting members adjacent its upper edge extending into the outer pair of opposed channels.

3. An index comprising ya frame having two parallel inwardly. facing channels at each side, one channel of each pair being disposed ln front of the other, and the outer wall of the front channel being narrower than. the dividing wall between the two vhaving elements extending from the upper and lower parts respectively of its lateral edges, an index Vframe comprising an imperforate rigid back formed from sheet material, and channel-forming means arranged at one side of said back and adjacent t0 they opposite lateral margins thereof res ectively, said means being constructed an arranged to provide two parallel inwardly facing channels, one in front of the other, at either margin of the frame for the recep- -tion respectively of the upper and lower laterally extending elements of the index car 5. An index frame comprising a back and two parallel inwardly extending flanges at each side, one in front of the other, forming two pairs of. opposed channels, the outer flanges being narrower than the inner flanges.

6. In combination with an index card having elements extending from the upper and lower parts respectively of its lateral ed es, an index frame comprisin a back, an a pair of inwardly directed an esdara acent to each of the lateral margins therelof respectively, one flange of each pair being spaced in front of the other, the rear flanges of each pair being integral with the back said -flan es with the marginal portions o the back eing constructed and arranged to form two pairs of opposed channels extending lengthwise of the frame for the reception respectively of the upper and lower latre'ally extending elements of the index ca 7. An index frame comprising a back and inwardly extending side flanges forming a pair of o posed channels extending lengthwise of tlie frame, and a channel strip secured adjacent to each side of the frame with its rear flange lying against the frame back and its front flange forming a second channel alongside and parallel to the side flange of the frame. l

8. An index frame comprising a back and inwardly extending side fianges forming a pair of opposed channels extending lengthwise of the frame, and an angle strip secured to each side of the frame having an inwardly extending flange spaced from the side flange of the frame and formin therewith a second channel alongside an lel to the first named channel.

9. An index frame comprising a back and inwardly extending side flanges forming a pair of opposed channels extending lengthparalwise of the frame, and a channel strip secured over each of said side flanges, the rear flange of the channel strip being attached to the rear side of the frame back and the front flange of the channel strip extendin inwardly in front of the frame flange an forming therewith a second channel.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts,

this ninth day of J une, '1921.

.is H; RAND. 

